Checkmate Queen
by Ebenbild
Summary: "Look," the redhead said while pulling out a chess piece; a white pawn. "This is you. But do you know what will happen if this chess piece crosses the chessboard?" Godric Gryffindor meets a man who will do anything for what he thinks is right - even if that means destroying everything the Founders stood for in the past. Or: The story of the Founders and the Sorting Hat. Maybe AU


_Author's Note: Written for Round 14 for Season 6 of the QLFC_

 _Semi-Finals: Allow me to introduce..._

 _Team: Pride of Portree_

 _Position: Chaser 2_

 _Prompt: Vikings: If I Had a Heart — Fever Ray_

 _Additional Prompts:_

 _9\. [object] Chess Piece_

 _13\. [quote] 'This need to prove that we are not the worst of ourselves can sometimes make us better people.' — Before Mars, Emma Newman_

 _14\. [object]* Sorting Hat (OR CHARACTER!)_

 _Word Count: 3,029_

 _Betas: Story Please, crochetaway, Claude Amelia Song_

 _Additional Author's Note:_

 _Used is also the Sorting Hat's Song from HP and the Order of the Phoenix_

 _ **Disclaimer**_ _: I'm too young to be Rowling so there is sadly no way Harry Potter is mine…_

 _ **Thank you, Claude Amelia Song, for helping me with my title!**_

xXxXxXxXxXxCheckmatexXxXxXxQueenxXxXxXxXxQueenxXxXxXxXxCheckmatexXxXxXxXxXxXx

sSsSsSsSs

 _ **CHECKMATE QUEEN**_

sSs

 _'This need to prove that we are not the worst of ourselves can sometimes make us better people.' (Before Mars, Emma Newman)_

sSs

The castle was littered with bodies that had crumpled on the floor where they had fallen, their black robes accented with green, red, yellow, and blue.

None of the hallways, classrooms, or hidey-holes had been safe from the carnage.

Blood stained the floor, the walls, and the ceiling.

The whole building was coated in the smell of death and darkness.

One person was still standing.

In their right hand was a knife, dripping with blood, and in their left a pale yew wand.

They stared with emotionless eyes at the bodies that lay at their feet.

Not far from them, a red-haired man was slumped on the floor, breathing heavily with his worn leather hat crumpled next to him.

"May I request one last thing for old friendship's sake before you leave?" The redhead asked, his voice raspy and his breathing laboured. He looked defeated and the red stain pouring down the centre of his white shirt didn't help.

Cool, emotionless eyes met the blue ones of the fallen man. There was no answer, but the other's attention was enough for the redhead to continue.

"Give me a voice, will you? So that I can warn those who will come after. So that I can sing."

xXx

" _And we must unite inside her_

 _Or we'll crumble from within_

 _I have told you, I have warned you..._

 _Let the Sorting now begin."_

xXx

The red-haired man was different than anybody he had ever met before. His blue eyes were kind and he was smiling at him, not calling him a monster or demon; not hurting him.

"Will you come with me?" The man asked, his hand reaching for him like a friend's.

He cocked his head, watching the other man with avid pale-green eyes.

"Aren't you scared?"

"Scared of a little snake who bit after being pushed into a corner?" The red-haired man asked, amused. "No, I don't think I am."

For a moment, he contemplated the other man's words, then he spoke up again.

"Even if I turn you into an object forever?"

"Even if you'd use the Forbidden Arts to turn me into a hat," the stranger assured him amused.

"Then you must be stupid," he said, twisting silver hair in his fingers, staining it with blood.

"Look," the redhead said while ignoring his statement to pull out a chess piece; a white pawn. "This is you. But do you know what will happen if this chess piece crosses the chessboard?"

"It will turn into a queen," he replied eying the chess piece.

"Exactly," the redhead agreed. "So why don't you come with me and see if we can turn you into a queen as well? After all, don't you want to prove that you are better than the worst of you – then what they made you?"

And maybe, just maybe, that was what finally made up his mind.

He had always been ambitious, after all.

"Yesss," he said, his voice drawing out in a hiss.

He hesitated momentarily, but then he reached out and clasped the other man's hand, letting himself be drawn away from a life of court, politics and blood; so much blood...

xXx

" _In times of old, when I was new,_

 _And Hogwarts barely started,_

 _The founders of our noble school_

 _Thought never to be parted."_

xXx

"A school," the red-haired man repeated blankly. "You want to build a school – for magic?"

"Why not?" the woman replied, her bearing regal. Next to her, her friend glared at the red-haired man quite fiercely.

"Or are you telling us we can't because we're women?" She asked, her eyes nearly blasting fire. In her hand, her wand spat sparks.

The redhead immediately raised his hands but before he could say something to defend himself, another voice spoke up from behind him.

"Don't mind him, ladies," his pale-eyed companion said and stepped up next to him. In his hand he was playing with a white pawn absentmindedly. "He lives with the foot-in-mouth-disease. I fear it's incurable."

The redhead gawked.

"Hey!" he started to protest but was shut up by a hand on his mouth.

"Hush you, unless you want to make it worse," his friend said, his eyes dancing with mirth before he turned to the ladies in front of him. "Now, please explain to me your endeavour. I'm listening..."

xXx

" _United by a common goal,_

 _They had the selfsame yearning_

 _To make the world's best magic school_

 _And pass along their learning."_

xXx

The red-haired man stumbled when he was attacked from behind.

But instead of receiving a deadly blow, something was shoved onto his head.

He immediately reached out blindly, but barely managed to grasp a lock of silver hair as his attacker danced away laughing from his reaching hands.

"Imp!" He called and this time managed to snatch the other man's arms and drew him in.

"Let me go, Godric!" The silver-haired prisoner laughed and tried playfully to free himself from Godric's bear-hug. "You're crushing me!"

"Well, grow a bit more then I wouldn't crush you!"

"No time to grow!" was the answer and Godric sighed.

"Politics, again?" He asked, unhappy about his friend's work in courts and kingdoms.

"Someone has to look out for this place," was the smaller man's smart reply.

"So you play nice in court for us," Godric said dryly, but he couldn't help but feel a bit of unease by his words.

"Only in court," the other man agreed and fingered the white queen on a string around his neck. "You have to admit you'd all be helplessly lost: Helga would be crushed, Rowena wouldn't keep up and you... you would aggravate everybody with your bluntness."

"Nevertheless, I didn't take you away from there just to–"

"This is different," his friend interrupted him. "It's politics – and only politics, mind you."

"It's only politics _now_ ," Godric pointed out harshly.

"We will see what tomorrow brings," the other man agreed, his voice suddenly serious. "For now, don't worry: If politics keep us safe, let me handle politics."

Godric sighed but nodded.

"Alright," he agreed and his friend's smile returned.

"And now tell me, dearest Godric, what do you think of my present?"

Godric reached for his head and removed the hat that had been shoved onto it to look at it. The hat was a wizard's hat out of leather and looked... as if it had an old, grumpy man-face.

"It's ugly," Godric decided.

His friend grinned, not at all hurt by Godric's declaration.

"I thought it the perfect hat to banish you into," he declared impishly.

Godric looked back up at his friend, rolled his eyes in amusement and returned the grin with one of his own.

"No cursing of me with the Forbidden Arts," he warned, mock-serious.

"Not your style then?"

Godric ruffled the other man's hair, fondness in his eyes.

"I love it," he told his best friend and put it back on his head. "Thanks, Salazar."

xXx

"' _Together we will build and teach'_

 _The four good friends decided._

 _And never did they dream that they_

 _Might some day be divided."_

xXx

"There's unrest in the school thanks to the Viking raids all over the Isles," Salazar said, his eyes not looking at Godric but the ceiling of the Great Hall. "Many of our students are afraid – and a lot of the non-magical-borns have started to blame the magical-borns for not helping with the raiders."

"There's nothing we can do to help," Godric said with a frown. "The Danish have their own magicals – and most of them are better trained than our people. There's a reason why we started this school, after all."

"I'm aware," his fellow Founder agreed, his eyes dark with bitter understanding. "But the children don't understand, no matter how much we try to explain."

"Nevertheless, the few trained magicals that exist aren't enough to ensure the safety of the whole Isles," Godric said with a tired sigh. "We can't–"

"The non-magical-borns won't listen," Salazar interrupted, his voice carrying a grave warning. "And one day they will attack the rest of the school because of this perceived slight–"

"They're children. They deserve a chance!"

"They're dangerous - they should be treated as such!"

"Yes," Godric agreed unhappily. "But that doesn't mean they don't deserve a chance! They can change if we just give them the chance to do so!"

"They–"

"–Are children," Godric interrupted the other man. "Solely children in the need of guidance."

"Like I was a child?" was the bitter reply. "I didn't deserve the chance you gave me – and you know it! Don't make that mistake twice, Godric!"

And before the other Founder could say anything to that declaration, Salazar left.

xXx

" _For were there such friends anywhere_

 _As Slytherin and Gryffindor?_

 _Unless it was the second pair_

 _Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,"_

xXx

"Salazar! Salazar! Wake up!"

There was a gasp, then the Slytherin Founder sat up jerkily. His eyes searched the darkness for the monsters of his dreams.

"It's alright, Salazar," Godric said soothingly. "You're safe, you're at the academy."

For a moment, Salazar just stared at the other man then he closed his eyes.

"Godric," he whispered.

So Godric stepped up to Salazar's bed and slipped in next to his best friend to hug him close. Salazar closed his eyes and leaned into the other, his hand going to the chess piece on a string around his neck.

"Better?" Godric asked, his voice still soft and soothing.

"It was a dream nothing more," the other one replied. "A nightmare about the future, darkness and what comes with it."

"The Forbidden Arts," Godric guessed, his eyes darkening.

"Those, too," his friend agreed.

"You remember, I promised you that you won't have to use them ever again?" Godric reminded the other softly. "I mean my promise, Salazar."

"Not even to stick you into your hat for eternity?"

Godric snorted amused and bumped his best friend's shoulder.

"Not even then, you imp," he agreed and kissed the other man's forehead. "And now return to sleep. I will stay and keep you safe for tonight."

xXx

" _So how could it have gone so wrong?_

 _How could such friendships fail?_

 _Why, I was there, so I can tell_

 _The whole sad, sorry tale."_

xXx

"Salazar and you are feuding about who to teach," Ravenclaw declared one evening. "Helga and I talked and we have a solution."

"Solution?"

"Houses," Ravenclaw agreed. "Each their own."

Her eyes showed determination and Godric knew immediately that neither she nor Hufflepuff would accept a 'no' for an answer. So he agreed to keep the peace.

"That should end our fight," he said, not looking at Salazar. "...For now."

 _What a lie_.

Both he and Salazar knew it. So he clutched Salazar's hand and pretended - because that was what they had to do for peace.

xXx

" _So Hogwarts worked in harmony_

 _For several happy years,_

 _But then discord crept among us_

 _Feeding on our faults and fears."_

xXx

Salazar sat on the window frame in the headmaster's tower, with his feet dangling outside. He was looking down, until a hand clamped down on his shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Godric." Salazar's voice was tight.

"Salazar," Godric replied, squeezing his best friend's shoulder.

"The Houses won't solve anything," Salazar said, not looking up. "The non-magical-borns… it doesn't help to exclude them from my House. They're still a threat–"

Godric sighed and buried his head into the neck of his friend.

"I know," he agreed.

"If you let me–"

"NO!" The grip on Salazar's shoulder tightened. "I won't let you. The Forbidden Arts are forbidden for a reason!"

"I was trained–"

"And I promised you, you would never have to return to the darkness – especially not because of us!" Godric interrupted his best friend heatedly.

For a moment, silence reigned in between them; then Salazar sighed.

"You know, Godric," he said, his eyes finding the distant horizon. "If I had a heart, I'd love you."

There was a deep breath from Godric and the next moment, the Gryffindor removed his hand from Salazar's shoulder to clasp and squeeze his hand instead. Godric's head, on the other hand, remained pressed into his best friend's neck.

It wasn't often that Salazar spoke about his feelings – so Godric wouldn't ignore what had been confessed just moments ago.

"I'm sure you _would_."

"I could," Salazar turned his pale face to look at the other man behind him. "I think, I could."

With that he freed his hand from Godric's grasp and jumped out of the tower.

Godric stepped up to the window, his eyes following the falling form of his friend until Salazar transformed mid-fall into a crow and flew away towards the lake.

"I know you _could_ love me," Godric whispered. "But maybe, just maybe, it's better for all of us that you don't have the heart to do that to me..."

xXx

" _The Houses that, like pillars four_

 _Had once held up our school_

 _Now turned upon each other and_

 _Divided, sought to rule."_

xXx

"Godric," the silver-haired Founder stepped up to his red-haired counterpart. "We have to stop them! If we don't do it now–"

"We can't," the other Founder replied. "Not as long as we don't know who's innocent and who's–"

"Then students will die! We can't sacrifice everybody for just a few!"

Silence, then the red-haired man closed his eyes tiredly.

"I know, this is how you were trained to think," he agreed with a sigh. "But we can't just sacrifice innocents – not if it means that we start a war we might not be able to win."

"We're–"

Godric reached for Salazar's hand, holding him tightly and warmly.

"Rowena and Helga wouldn't understand, Salazar," he said truthfully. "They wouldn't side with us because they would perceive us as a threat to the 'innocents'."

"They're not–"

"I know," Godric agreed and held the other man tighter. "But neither Rowena nor Helga will see it that way – not when it comes to children."

"Children influenced by their parents," Salazar spat. "Children who blame us for being unable to do more – who one day _will_ be a threat to us if we let them continue, Godric!"

Godric looked away, but his hand clutched the other Founder's even tighter.

"If we let it continue, it might kill us," Salazar pointed out, not acknowledging the other Founder's hand around his own. "It _will_ kill us."

"I know," Godric finally agreed, and buried his head into the other Founder's shoulder. "Let's hope it won't."

xXx

" _And for a while it seemed the school_

 _Must meet an early end._

 _What with duelling and with fighting_

 _And the clash of friend on friend."_

xXx

"Salazar!"

But when the Slytherin Founder turned, he wasn't the man Godric knew anymore. There was darkness all around him and ice in his eyes.

Godric looked away.

"This is not you," he said.

"This is me," Salazar countered. "This has always been me."

"It _was_ you," Godric agreed. " But you showed me that...this _need_ to prove that we are not the worst of ourselves can sometimes make us better people."

"It can also destroy us," Salazar countered, his eyes empty.

Godric reached out towards the other man and took his face into his hands.

"You and I know it hasn't!" He countered, his eyes fierce.

"It doesn't matter! Students are dying! I promised to keep this school safe, Godric!"

"You also promised not return to the Forbidden Arts!"

"I told you that we'd see what tomorrow brings," Salazar countered. "And if I'm forced to do what is necessary, so be it!"

"NO!" Godric grabbed both of the other man's shoulders. "Don't you dare–! I won't let you return to old habits! You proved that you were better! You proved–!"

"I proved that I was an accomplished liar," Salazar replied, his hand on the chess piece around his neck, ready to break every bond that ever held him inside the school. "I proved that I was able to fool even people who aren't fooled easily. I _am_ a foul man, it's time that you accept that, Godric."

As an answer, Godric slapped him.

"You aren't the worst of yourself, Salazar! You proved it to all of us! Don't you dare to tell me you aren't better after all you've accomplished!"

Salazar just looked away and freed himself from Godric's grasp, leaving a white queen in the distraught man's hand, before he pulled his knife and wand.

"I'm sorry, dearest Godric, but I can't... not this time around and you know it," was the last thing he said.

It was the last thing they would say to each other before the school was inundated in blood, death, darkness, and fear...

xXx

" _And at last there came a morning_

 _When old Slytherin departed_

 _And though the fighting then died out_

 _He left us quite downhearted."_

xXx

Hogwarts was shrouded in death.

There were bodies everywhere.

There were innocents on the floor with the guilty lying next to them.

Some innocents had died by the guilty's hands. Most guilty had lost their life thanks to the knifes and wand of a man who had been promised that he would never have to kill again...

Said man ignored everyone but the slumped man to his feet with his leather hat next to him – even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff who were standing at the top of the stairs, disbelief and hurt in their eyes.

"May I request one last thing for old friendship's sake before you leave?"

Silence.

"Give me a voice, will you?" The fallen man whispered, his eyes suddenly pleading. "So that I can warn those who will come after. So that I can sing."

At that, a single tear slid down Salazar's face.

"If that is what you wish…"

And with a wave of his hand, he twisted Godric's body with a forbidden spell. It vanished without a trace, leaving only the hat behind.

The next moment, the Hat emitted a terrible and lonely sigh, which took the Slytherin Founder as his permission to finally leave the place of the massacre.

"I am sorry, Salazar, for breaking my promise," the Hat whispered. "Thank you, nevertheless."

This was the day Salazar Slytherin left Hogwarts.

This was the day Hogsmeade burned to ashes.

And this was the day the Sorting Hat was born...

xXx

" _And never since the founders four_

 _Were whittled down to three_

 _Have the Houses been united_

 _As they once were meant to be."_

xXx

xXxXxXxXxXxCheckmatexXxXxXxQueenxXxXxXxXxQueenxXxXxXxXxCheckmatexXxXxXxXxXxXx

 _Well, back to Founder's time and Salazar for me... not that I ever wrote something that actually only included the Founders before… xDD_

 _I also apologize for sticking Godric into the Sorting Hat. xD Poor guy has been tortured with students' minds for centuries..._

 _Nevertheless, I hope you liked it!_

 _Ebenbild_


End file.
